It appears as if Mr. Beast, otherwise known as Jimmy Donaldson, fell just short of crossing the finish line with his sports-related acquisition. The renowned YouTuber caused quite a commotion when he posted a video entitled "I Bought the NFL." In this mesmerizing clip, Donaldson stood side by side with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at a press conference, making the astonishing announcement. "Today marks an historic milestone," Goodell declared in the video that premiered on YouTube on September 3. "The NFL has now been handed over to a single individual: Jimmy Donaldson, aka Mr. Beast." Shortly after seizing the microphone, Donaldson echoed Goodell's revelation, confirming, "That's right; I am now the official owner of the NFL."
"I believe it's high time for some transformations," he continued, his enthusiasm palpable. "As my inaugural change, we'll be adjusting the roster from 53 players to 54, reserving that extra spot for a YouTuber." The video then seamlessly transitioned to scenes of YouTubers like Haley Baylee, iShowSpeed, Dude Perfect, and Brooke Monk being drafted into various NFL teams and participating in their training camps, adding a touch of the extraordinary to the ordinary.
Initially hesitant, Goodell admitted to being won over by Mr. Beast's ingenious pitch after witnessing the influencers rise to the occasion. However, the truth eventually unfolded: Donaldson hadn't actually acquired the league. (In reality, the NFL is owned by over 537,000 stakeholders, with each of the 32 teams controlled by a principal owner, with the exception of the Green Bay Packers, which is governed by a publicly elected board of directors.)
In essence, the video served as a clever campaign to promote YouTube's acquisition of the broadcasting rights for the upcoming NFL game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs on September 5. "For the very first time, Chargers vs. Chiefs will be available for free on YouTube," Mr. Beast excitedly informed his viewers. "Make sure you tune in. It's absolutely free; why miss out?"
As for the question of whether Mr. Beast could purchase an NFL team if he desired, well, if he hasn't quite reached that financial milestone yet, he's certainly on his way. In February, the 27-year-old, who boasts an astonishing 430 million subscribers on his main YouTube channel, revealed that he had become a billionaire "on paper." However, he doesn't hoard his wealth; quite the contrary.
"In my actual bank account, I have less than a million dollars," he explained during an appearance on the Diary of a CEO podcast at the time. "I prefer to reinvest it all." He added, "I have assistants and other expenses, so I try to pay myself just enough to cover my personal monthly spending, to keep things even."
